Intermolecular Forces/Noncovalent Interactions Summary, Worksheet, and Key

Summary of Noncovalent Interactions:

Noncovalent Interaction Interaction Between:

Hydrogen Bonding

Electrostatic attractive force

between the partially positive
charged hydrogen end of an
O-H, N-H, or F-H bond and the
negative charge of a lone pair on
an O, F, or N.

Dipole-Dipole

Electrostatic attractive force

between two polar molecules.
London Dispersion Forces

Electrostatic attractive force

between any two molecules.
Ion-Dipole
Electrostatic attractive force
between a dipole and an ion or
formal charge. The partially
positive charge of a dipole is
attracted to a negatively charged
ion or a negative formal charge.
The partially negative charge of
a dipole is attracted to a
positively charged ion or
positive formal charge.

Salt Bridge
Electrostatic attractive force
between a negative formal
charge and a positive formal
charge in protein.
 Problems (see the key on the last two pages to check your work)
1) List the intermolecular forces between the given pairs of molecules.

Molecules Intermolecular Force(s)

Methane (CH4) and Methane (CH4);

What intermolecular forces occur
between two methane molecules?
Ethanol and Ethanol

H2O and H2O

NH3 and NH3

Cyclohexanone and Cyclohexanone

Cyclohexanol and Cyclohexanol

HCl and HCl

CO2 and CO2

CCl4 and CCl4

CH2Cl2 and CH2Cl2

2) If the given pairs of substances in the table below were mixed together, list all of the
noncovalent interactions that would be involved.

Choices:

(A) Hydrogen bonding

(B) Dipole-dipole forces

(C) London dispersion forces

(D) Ion-dipole

(E) Salt bridge

Compound Pairs List of Noncovalent Interactions

NH3 and H2O

Mg2+ and H2O

Cl2 and H2

Acetic acid and H2O

Acetic Acid

SO2 and H2O

SO2 and H2S

ethane (CH3CH3) and methane (CH4)